Course info

The historical development of foundational Christian doctrines and rituals will be traced, including the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, as well as the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. The debates over competing Christian beliefs about salvation (including the doctrines of Pelagius, Saint Augustine, the so-called Semi-Pelagians, and Martin Luther) will also be examined in depth. Students will study the theologies of influential christians over a period of two thousand years. Also, students will evaluate historic Christian relations with Jews, and examine significant challenges raised by opponents of the Christian religion in ancient times (e.g., Celsus) and more recently.